Over the past two years, for instance, he has published studies maintaining the Chantix anti-smoking pill is unsuitable for first-line use (read here and here) and a meta-analysis indicating the mist form of the Spiriva inhaler that is used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had a 52 percent increase in mortality risk compared with a placebo ( see this).
"It's concerning to us, because we're worried that patients who really aren't experts and read this casually could interpret that the ACC endorse this as a first-line therapy, " says Weaver.